A group of 62 Haitian children whose adoptions have been fast-tracked since the January 12 earthquake struck Haiti arrived in Canada Saturday to begin new lives.

An Air Canada Airbus carrying the adoptees arrived at Ottawa International Airport around 3:40 PM local time, Canadian authorities said.

The children, who left the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince earlier in the day, range in age from three months to 17 years.

This is the third group of orphaned children, who were in the final stages of adoption prior to the earthquake, approved to join their adoptive families in Canada since much of Port-au-Prince and other Haitian cities were reduced to rubble by the 7.0-plus magnitude quake.

Last Sunday, a plane carrying 28 young Haitians adoptees touched down in Ottawa while another group of 52 arrived on Wednesday.

The Canadian government has fast-tracked adoptions for 217 children approved by Haitian officials.

(Xinhua News Agency January 31, 2009)